Wilton's Makenna Pearsall tries to take the ball from a prostrated Allie Smith, of Danbury, during their FCIAC championship basketball game at Fairfield Ludlowe High School in Fairfield, Conn., on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. Danbury won, 41-29.
Photo: Jason Rearick

Wilton's Haley English drives to the basket while under pressure from Danbury's Rebecca Gartner during their FCIAC championship basketball game at Fairfield Ludlowe High School in Fairfield, Conn., on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. Danbury won, 41-29.
Photo: Jason Rearick

Danbury's Rebecca Gartner puts up a shot while under pressure from a leaping Cori Cannavino, of Wilton, during their FCIAC championship basketball game at Fairfield Ludlowe High School in Fairfield, Conn., on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. Danbury won, 41-29.
Photo: Jason Rearick

Danbury and Wilton girls compete for the loose rebound during their FCIAC championship basketball game at Fairfield Ludlowe High School in Fairfield, Conn., on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. Danbury won, 41-29.
Photo: Jason Rearick

Danbury and Wilton girls compete for the loose rebound during their...

Danbury head coach Jackie DiNardo talks to her team during their FCIAC championship basketball game against Wilton at Fairfield Ludlowe High School in Fairfield, Conn., on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. Danbury won, 41-29.
Photo: Jason Rearick

Wilton head coach Jaclyn Porco shouts directions to her team during their FCIAC championship basketball game against Danbury at Fairfield Ludlowe High School in Fairfield, Conn., on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. Danbury won, 41-29.
Photo: Jason Rearick

FAIRFIELD -- Going into the fourth quarter of its FCIAC championship game against Wilton at Fairfield Ludlowe High School Thursday night, a 21st straight victory and a conference three-peat were anything but certainties for Danbury -- at least to the casual observer.

For the top-seeded Hatters, however, there was never a doubt.

"There's no `if.' There's never an `if.' We weren't going to lose. We're going to win. We were going to get that three-peat, and that's what's going to happen," Rebecca Gartner said. "In season is when we get our mistakes out, and playoffs is when we take it to the next level."

Danbury took a three-point lead into the final stanza and dominated the fourth quarter to pull away for a 41-29 victory, making the Hatters the first team to win three consecutive FCIAC titles since Trinity Catholic accomplished the feat from 2006-08.

"We were moving the ball a little better (in the fourth quarter) and we were finishing our layups, which is big," Rachel Gartner said. "Yesterday at practice we went over their players, and we know Wilton so well. Our defense picked up after the first quarter."

Danbury's Allie Smith, who tied for a game-high 11 points, was named the FCIAC tournament Most Valuable Player. The Hatters had advanced to the title game with a 48-28 quarterfinal win against Trumbull and a 45-33 semifinal victory over Stamford.

Smith didn't score more than four points in any quarter, but tough defense combined with several timely buckets were instrumental in keeping the FCIAC crown in Danbury.

"The second half is always our game. We had a good motivational talk at halftime to pump us up and go out strong," Smith said. "I think we just really wanted to win this for the seniors, and get that three-peat."

Wilton's defense held the potent Danbury attack in check for most of the game, as Rebecca Gartner, Rachel Gartner and Smith -- three big Danbury threats -- combined for just five points in the first half.

"We came prepared for the game. We just didn't execute. I don't think we executed one time on the court tonight," Wilton coach Jaclyn Porco said. "Good teams can hang around for a bit if they don't get the second or third rebound or they're not executing the plays. The first half we should have been up 15 had we executed."

Leading 27-24 going into the fourth quarter, Danbury got consecutive baskets from Rachel Gartner and Rebecca Gartner, which were followed by Rachel Gartner's trey, extending the Hatter lead to 34-24.

Wilton's Christina Holmgren answered with a layup, but the Hatters scored the next six points on pair of free throws from Rebecca Gartner, a layup from Kayla Handberry and two more successful foul shots from Handberry, giving Danbury a 40-26 lead and essentially sealing the win.

"That's what we do. We seem to play hard in the first half and every team seems to give us everything they have in the first half," Danbury coach Jackie DiNardo said. "We just kind of sit back and be patient and wait. Then we come out in the second half and then it's our turn."

Wilton's Erin Cunningham sank a 3-pointer to give her team a 10-4 lead late in the first quarter, but that margin also represented the largest lead of the night for the No. 2-seeded Warriors, which entered halftime in a 14-14 deadlock.

Wilton (19-4, 17-4 FCIAC), which dealt Danbury its only loss of the season on Dec. 13, is the No. 6 seed in the Class L tournament and is slated for a home tilt with No. 27 Naugatuck on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

"We're going to try to watch the video, talk to the girls and get a sense of what they think happened," Porco said. "We'll get back to practice. We'll dwell on this for about 15, 20 minutes and then we'll move on."

Danbury (22-1, 19-1 FCIAC), the top seed in the Class LL state tournament, will play host to the winner of No. 16 Simsbury against No. 17 Hall next Thursday at 7 p.m.